Malloy administration finds place for 22 of 95 laid off state employees

By Christine Stuart CTNewsJunkie.com

Published
2:22 pm EDT, Friday, September 4, 2015

Connecticut Labor Department building

Connecticut Labor Department building

Photo: Photo Courtesy Of CTNJ

Photo: Photo Courtesy Of CTNJ

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Connecticut Labor Department building

Connecticut Labor Department building

Photo: Photo Courtesy Of CTNJ

Malloy administration finds place for 22 of 95 laid off state employees

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The Connecticut AFL-CIO publicly protested the decision by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s Labor Department to lay off 95 workers Friday, a day after the administration announced it has found room for 22 of them in other state agencies.

The AFL-CIO, which is a coalition of unions, will protest the closure of six job centers and a reduction in the workforce at the Labor Department site in Meriden Friday morning.

On Thursday, Malloy’s administration announced 22 of the 95 impacted employees were placed in previously vacant positions, including seven employees who were chosen to fill vacant examiner positions at the Department of Motor Vehicles to help reduce wait times at DMV branches. Only three employees opted to accept a layoff.

“This is the first step in finding placements for workers affected by the federal cuts,” Office of Policy and Management Secretary Ben Barnes said. “The employees from Department of Labor have done a great job there, and we are fortunate to be able to bring their talents to other positions.”

The reduction in staff is necessary, according to the administration, because of federal funding for the department is expected to decrease by $32 million over the next two years. The layoffs will result in recurring savings of more than $16 million.